Recruiting on the Cheap

Reaching a broader group of people than the classifieds do is one key to savvy hiring. But it's expensive to hire a headhunter or to travel across the country. Here are three low-budget ways to find far-flung candidates:

* Operation Transition (703-614-5322). The U.S. Army needs many thousand fewer good men and women than it has. Operation Transition will ease the way into the civilian job market by providing prospective employers with both a referral system and a job-posting service.

* InternAmerica (Ford and Ford Careerworks, 800-456-7335). This bimonthly newsletter of internship positions is read by students, professors, and career counselors at liberal-arts, technical, and vocational schools. Listing your company's internship position is free, unless you require a confidential P.O. box number -- that's a $15 charge.

* Jobtrak (800-999-8725). When you call this computer network with your part-time, temporary, or full-time job listing, it will be posted at up to 130 college career centers for two weeks. Most colleges linked to Jobtrak are on the West Coast, but the network is expanding. Charges: $12.50 for the first college listing, $7.50 for each college after that.